The Harris Flights have been hailed a success by Preston City Council after a 70% increase in visitors to the Harris Museum & Art Gallery.
AdvertisementMuseum bosses are putting the bounce in visits down to the temporary steps and host of different events which have been taking place.
The Flights opened on Saturday 17 August and will finish this coming Sunday with a festival of colour and music ahead of next year’s 40th Caribbean Carnival.
Cabinet member for culture and leisure, Councillor Tom Burns, said: “Seeing people look in awe at the impressive Harris Flights staircase has been wonderful and the city centre has been alive.
“The mix of artists and performances has appealed to a range of age groups. To offer this opportunity to the people of Preston every day for free is a legacy of the Guild, meaning we don’t have to wait 20 years to celebrate this great city.”
This Friday and Saturday will see outdoor film screenings at the Harris, including a showing of classics like Ghostbusters.
The Flights have generally been well received, barring a row between the council and Taxpayers Alliance after it was revealed £500 had been paid to an artist who was walking back and forth.
Twitter was a-buzz with tweets from the arts community defending the experimental arts, while others said the money was better spent elsewhere.
Blog Preston has been down at the Flights regularly, and you can see all our Flights coverage.